Credit: Sportpix
Do the owners of Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Proxima Dea (Tarzino) own a crystal ball? It would seem so – how could they know that the filly, whose name in Portuguese translates to “Next Goddess”, would not only live up to her name, but exceed its meaning which is directly associated with her older sister, Gypsy Goddess?
There is a certain mystique attached to any horse which builds an unbeaten sequence because it is so difficult to maintain. Eerily, the records of Gypsy Goddess and Proxima Dea have much in common. Two peas from the same pod.
Big sis Gypsy Goddess began her career at Caloundra, scoring on debut and backing that up at Benchmark 65 level at the same track before an open Quality handicap at Doomben. Her fourth start resulted in a big win in the Grand Prix Stakes (Gr 3, 2100m) at Eagle Farm to remain unbeaten.
Proxima Dea’s head-bobber maiden win, also on debut, took place at Randwick in July. Two starts in August resulted in a Class 1 win at Gosford and a Benchmark 72 at Rosehill, where her chances appeared totally hopeless at the 200m. Her finish was scintillating.
Early this month, for the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m), Proxima Dea again appeared beaten among five chances across the track at the 100m. This determined filly knows no fear and rallied to stretch her neck at the line to also remain unbeaten.
Comparing the sisters: whereas Gypsy Goddess spelled after four races, returning to land an open 1600m at Fagle Farm in the autumn, Proxima Dea showed up at Randwick to take on the boys at Group 1 level in the Spring Champion Stakes. Just three fillies had achieved success since the race was instituted in 1971 and one, Montefilia (Kermadec), was trained by none other than Proxima Dea’s trainer David Hayes.
The race is not for the faint-hearted and this century boasts Dundeel (High Chaparral) and Savabeel (Zabeel) as winners. Champions such as Tie The Knot (Nassipour), Beau Zam (Zamazaan), Sir Dapper (Vain) and Kingston Town (Bletchingly) have their names engraved on the trophy.
In her four starts prior to Saturday, Proxima Dea’s propensity for finding the line has been her signature. Her total winning margins across four wins equalled less than three-quarters of a length. For the Group 1, her fifth start, not so, as she recorded her easiest win yet, despite her outside barrier from the tricky 2000m start.
The gutsy filly sat wide early but at the 1600m found second, parked just back and outside the leader, where she remained until the 400m. She didn’t gain the lead until the 250m and inside the 100m it was all over, Zac Lloyd able to ease her close to the line, taking the scalp of Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Global Goal (Pinatubo) in a fillies one-two.
Post race, trainer Hayes stated: “She seems to have everything – guts, heart and class,” Rider Zac Lloyd added: “I thought it was game over after about 400m. I knew how tough she was.”
Back to the comparison of the two fillies, Gypsy Goddess first saw defeat in the Vinery Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1850m), that year run at Newcastle. Her third placing preceded a second in the Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m), then a Listed second at the Gold Coast before her strong finish when claiming the Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m), her ninth start.
Gypsy Goddess returned at four fresh up at Rosehill and put in a withering run to finish a great third in the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m), arguably her career best performance. She struck traffic soon after straightening and there was not a lot of room for her rails challenge. Only I Wish I Win (Savabeel) and Fangirl (Sebring) beat her to the line.
Sadly, that was Gypsy Goddess’s last race so we are left wondering just how good she might have been, and she was mighty good. At this point, Proxima Dea’s record is superior. Her will to win is incredible. Incidentally, the Portuguese translation for superior is: superior (!).
Still in her first race preparation, connections are looking south and Ladies Day at Flemington, Thursday, November 5th and the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m). Hayes believes that the extra 500m will be no problem. It will not be a surprise to learn that her longer term targets will be in the autumn. The Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) seem obvious.
She is a great advertisement for her sire, Westbury Stud’s Tarzino (Tavistock), a Classic winner of the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m). Tarzino also scored the Rosehill Guineas during his autumn. Of his ten stakes winners, four have landed a Group 1 and three have landed either an Oaks or a Derby. The upcoming NZB Ready To Run Sale features ten lots by Tarzino.
Invisible Coin (Redoute’s Choice), the sisters’ dam, joins a rare group, having produced two Group 1 winners and six winners in total. Although unraced, Invisible Coin’s sister Cheeky Choice (Redoute’s Choice) was another elite performer as winner of the Flight Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and was twice Group 1-placed.
Invisible Coin was exported to Australia in June 2023 carrying Proxima Dea. In 2025 she foaled a colt to Anamoe (Street Boss) and this year a colt to Cylinder (Exceed and Excel). It would be a no-brainer to send her back to Westbury.
Plus two, minus one
This past weekend a Rating 65 at Ellerslie, a scratching from Trentham and a Group 2 at Te Rapa, in that order, have caused the market for the November 14 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) to alter dramatically.
At Ellerslie on Saturday was Excite (Wootton Bassett) who returned to form to nab a Rating 65 in impressive fashion. A horror start when seventh in last month’s Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr 2, 1400m) was too bad to be true but the colt had excuses, especially when squeezed from both sides when leaving the stalls, making his task virtually impossible.
Over the 1600m at Ellerslie he began much better. When Sam McNab asked him to go approaching the 200m, the response was immediate and he put them away like the good colt we knew he was. Co-trainer Robert Wellwood describes him as “a proper colt” and he will head to Riccarton.
At Trentham on Sunday, a scratching also affected the market as Hawkes Bay Guineas victor Old Fashioned (Proisir), set for a top-up run prior to the Guineas, was withdrawn due to a minor hoof issue. His chances of a trip to Riccarton are now unlikely.
At Te Rapa for their Monday Labour Day meeting and the James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m), the picture changed yet again when a second colt by Wootton Bassett (Ifraaj), Coniston, threw his hat into the ring.
Similar to Excite, Coniston had a tough run in a 3YO Set Weights race at Hastings, where he gave his rider all sorts of bother by overracing and never settling. Coniston’s maiden win prior to that was a walk in the park. His connections rated him a serious up-and-comer.
A different horse showed up at Te Rapa and he settled midfield. Joe Doyle waited patiently for the last run and the colt kept up a solid finish to get up in the last stride and book his trip south.
Warm favourite System Of Play (Ole Kirk) was a fair sixth and was doing his best work late, but too late. It might be unwise to write him off on that run as he is certain to benefit from the run. As we get deeper into the season, the competition increases.
Coniston is a homebred of Blandford Lodge, the first foal of their mare Le Gai Soleil (Tavistock), winner of the Glasshouse Handicap (Listed, 1400m) as well as four races in Sydney. Le Gai Soleil’s half-sister is the dual Group 1 winner Danzdanzdance (Mastercraftsman). Another half-sister is Danza Kuduro (Savabeel), dam of Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m) winner Good Banter (Tavistock), thus a three-quarter relation to Le Gai Soleil.
They all descend from Group 1-placed Gretchen (Bahhare), described by Blandford’s Graham Bax as a pony. Gretchen’s half-brother is dual Group winner Silky Red Boxer (Casual Lies). Their half-sister is Staryn Glenn (Montjeu), dam of the family’s star performer, three-times Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina (Savabeel).
Expectations
On the back of back-to-back Group 1s by Warwoven, currently Australia’s best 3YO, his sire Sword Of State (Snitzel) has finally delivered in New Zealand, taking his individual stakes winners total to three. Finally might be a tad harsh because his oldest are only 3YOs, but with such a hot start to his stallion career, expectations can exceed reality.
Sword Of Stars (Sword Of State) was somewhat overdue, having displayed some worthwhile form as a juvenile. Her win in Saturday’s War Decree Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) virtually ensures a start in next month’s New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m). However, she will have to contend with a very talented Asturia (Almanzor), her stablemate. Asturia is the one they will all have to beat. The folks at Cambridge Stud won’t be at all concerned. They have all bases covered and won’t mind which filly prevails.
Sword Of Stars has some advantage of experience and race hardness, having placed at Listed level in September followed by back-to-back wins, including this Group 3 and taking her record to two wins and three placings in six starts.
This was a nice win though as she had to accelerate from a tight spot on the rail to launch her challenge. The resulting time of 1:22.52 looked okay until compared with the 1:20.93 set by Mystic Park (Ocean Park) in the next race on the card. She will deserve her place in the Guineas field but may need to find another length or two.
Te Akau’s Sir David Ellis found the attractive, leggy filly among the Windsor Park Book 1 draft at the 2025 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale but had to bid a substantial $350,000. Her dam, stakes-placed Angelica Hall (Guillotine), had already produced a three-times Listed winner in Perth. Her grandam, Great Hall (Kaapstad) twice won at Listed level in Sydney and ranks as a sister to dual Group 1 winner Golden Sword (Kaapstad). This quality family has been part of Windsor Park for generations.
The timing is particularly welcome for Sword Of State, who will be represented by 12 lots at the upcoming NZB Ready To Run Sale. His recent results have also been boosted by Joyeuse, a maiden who finished a promising third in the James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes. The sale will be followed by the release of the catalogues for the 2027 NZB National Yearling Sales.
Whoosh!
Sunday’s Thompson Handicap (Gr 3, 1600m) produced a huge finish from Tisse (Belardo) who shared last at the top of the Trentham straight in a race run at a dawdling pace to that point. Kelly Myers wisely waited for the field to fan, which left bags of room closer to the rail. All the gaps opened and Tisse, full of running, was able to sprint through the field and gun down The Scunner (Shamexpress) who looked every inch the winner at the 150m.
Tisse does not win out of turn and his only other black-type performance took place last May in the Listed Rangitikei Cup (1600m). Consequently, the 6YO, who arrived at the course as a winner of five races in 25 starts, was not favoured on the tote and started at odds of 21 to 1.
Tisse’s win saw Belardo (Lope De Vega) rack up his 22nd individual stakes winner, on top of the success of Saturday’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2500m) winner, Juja Kibo, at Flemington. The stallion is now based in Turkey.
Tisse, purchased by his trainer, Allan Sharrock at NZB’s 2020 Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 2) for $30,000, is the third winner from four to race out of an established Ardsley Stud family’s Miss Percy (Sir Percy). She never raced but ranks as a half-sister to Auckland Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Titch (Lord Ballina) and to Threepence (Pentire), the dam of dual Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Pennyweka (Satono Aladdin).
